LOVELAND -- Loveland-based Abound Solar on Tuesday cut 180 jobs -- nearly half of its workers -- at the company's production facility along the Interstate 25 frontage road near Firestone.

The company said in a statement that it is shutting down production of its first-generation solar module to speed the changeover necessary to launch the next-generation module, which it says will be much more efficient.

"While this is a difficult move with regards to temporarily reducing our work force, we know that accelerating the introduction of our next-generation module will bring significant benefits to our customers and allow us to create even more jobs in the future," Craig Witsoe, president and CEO of Abound, said in the statement.

The company said stopping production of the first-generation module would "temporarily eliminate" 180 jobs, and once the company has updated its manufacturing equipment and processes and begins production of the next-generation modules, it would begin bringing back many of those jobs and "create even more jobs in the future."

Abound said it expects to begin shipping next-generation modules for customer field trials this summer and begin mass production of the new generation of module in six to nine months, at which time it would begin hiring again.

Company officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Though located in Weld County, Abound's manufacturing facility has a Longmont mailing address. The company's corporate headquarters is in Loveland.